Fitting for lifting cargo containers

ABSTRACT

A fitting for use with a load handling apparatus for lifting cargo containers with fixtures in the upper side corners, in which there are an axially movable load lifting pin for extending into the container fixture, and axially movable positioning pins disposed above and to the side of the load lifting pin for assisting in seating the lifting pin in the container fixture. Sleeves are provided for the pins, and frame members are rigidly connected to the sleeves to form a rigid frame structure to support the pins and to permit axial movement thereof. The three pins are connected to one another for simultaneous axial movement between a withdrawn inoperable position and an extended load lifting position, and a latch means is preferably provided for retaining the three pins in either of the two selected positions, and one of the two positioning pins is rotatable for operating said latch means.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,822,077 Palen July 2, 1974 [54] FITTING FOR LlFTlNG CARGO 3,558,| 76 1/1971 Fathaner et al. 294/81 SF x CONTAINERS Inventor: Richard L. Palen, New Buffalo,

Mich.

Assignee: Clark Equipment Company, Buchanan, Mich.

Filed: Mar. 12, 1973 Appl. N6; 340,211

US. Cl. 294/67 DA, 294/81 SF 1m. (:1. B66c 1/00 Field of Search 294/67 R, 67 B, 67 BB, 294/67 130, 67 o, 67 DA, 67 DB, 81 R,

, 294/81 SF, 82 R; 24/221 R; 105/306 R, 306 B, 306 c;212 11,13,14,1s;214/77 R;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/l966 Gutridge 294/81 SF X 6/1969 Martinson .v

7/1969 Nagy et al. 5/1970 Heyer et al. 214/77 R Primary Examiner-Even C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hobbs & Green [57] ABSTRACT A fitting for use with a load ,handling apparatus for lifting cargo containers with fixtures in the upper side corners, in which there are an axially movable load lifting pin for extending into the container fixture, and axially movable positioning pins disposed above and to the side of the load lifting pin for assisting in seating the lifting pin in the container fixture. Sleeves are pro- 1 vided for the pins, and frame members are rigidly connected to the sleeves to form a rigid frame structure to support the pins and to permit axial movement thereof. The three pins are connected to one another for simultaneous axial movement between a withdrawn inoperable position and an extended load lifting position, and a latch means is preferably provided for retaining the three pins in either of the two selected positions, and one of the two positioning pins is rotatable for operating said latch means.

13 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDJUL 2 1974 SHEET 9F 5 FIG. 6A

FIG. 9

FIG. 7

. l FITTING FOR LIFIING CARGO CONTAINERS In equipment for transferring loads such as cargo containers onto and from railroad cars, the load is normally lifted and moved by a beam or boom having a grappling means which engages fixtures in the upper four corners of the container, or which slips beneath the lower edges of the container and supports the container while it is being lifted and transferred either to or from the railroad car. These prior grappling means have usually consisted of a unitary frame structure often supported on the beam or boom by cables and having arms extending downwardly along the sides of the container with lift shoes at the bottom for engaging the under side of the load. These frame structures have generally been bulky and cumbersome to operate and have often required theload transfer equipment to be substantially larger than the container in order to accommodate the frame structure and to provide space for manipulating it into its load lifting and transfer positions. Further, the devices for engaging the fixtures on the containers have frequently been difficult to adjust to different size containers and to-position at the proper location for engaging the fixtures, and have been either difficult to latch'and/or unreliable while supporting the container. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a beam mounted load engaging and supporting mechanism which can readily and effectively be adjusted both lengthwise and crosswise to the dimensions of a semitrailer or container, and which requires little additional operating space beyond that required for the operation of the beam.

Another object of the invention is to provide a load I engaging mechanism which can be used in conjunction with and as an alternative for the type having the vertical arms with shoes at the bottom for supporting the container, without removing operational parts of the other, and which can be easily and quickly attached to the container without the use of tools or other equipment apart from the mechanism itself.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a rather simple and compact load lifting fitting which can be coupled to the container and controlled by an operator at a location remote from the container without any manual manipulation of the load lifting fittings, to

either attach them to or detach them from the container, and which operates as a part of a load supporting beam normally positioned longitudinally with respect to the load such as a semitrailer or cargo container.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a load transfer mechanism on which the present load engaging and lifting mechanism is used;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the load transfer mechanism with the load handling apparatus, showing a cargo container in broken lines supported thereby;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing a portion of the load handling apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing the same portion as FIG. 3 of the load handling apparatus;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along line66 of FIG. 5; i

FIG. 6A is a fragmentary view of a mechanism shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the lift arms and a container showing the manner in which the present fittings are used to'lift a container;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one of my lift fittings showing it mounted on an arm of the transfer mechanism;

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the fitting shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, numeral 10 indicates a semitrailer adapted to be connected to a tractor at the forward end 12 by a kingpin, the bed 14 of the trailer being supported on an undercarriage 16. The load transfer mechanism is indicated generally by numeral 20, and is mounted on and secured to the bed and is transported along with the semitrailer from one operational location to another without any substantial changes in the structure between operating position and transporting position. The semitrailer may be of conventional construction or it may be specifically designed for use in conjunction with the present load transfer mechanism, the one shown having a gooseneck portion 24 and a landing gear 26 disposed on each side of bed 14. While the structure interconnecting the forward end and the undercarriage is here referred to as a bed or base, it may be of beam or frame type structure other than that normally considered as a bed. While the load transfer mechanism is shown mounted on a semitrailer, it can be mounted on a stationary base if desired, and the cargo containers or trailers to be loaded and unloaded may be brought to that position instead of transporting the load transfer device to the railroad car or other location where the container is to be moved by the mechanism. A load transfer mechanism of the type involved in the present application is shown and claimed in copending application Ser. No. 187,362 filed Oct. 7, 1971, now US. Pat. No. 3,718,22lcommon assignee, and description of the details is incorporated herein as necessary to fully understand the construction and operation of the transfer mechanism.

Referring further to FIG. 1, the numerals 34 and 36 designate, respectively, a pair of extensible and retractable main actuators or cylinders pivoted on the frame portion of the of bed 14 at their lower end about axes 35 and 37. Ac-

tually, both actuators 34 and 36 include two additional actuators 34' and 36 in the embodiment described and illustrated herein, and the arrangement just described is duplicatedat the opposite end of the base 14. In order to simplify the description of the invention, the main actuators 34 and 36 will be referred to as if they were each single actuators instead of double. There is also a pair of boom or auxiliary actuators indicated, respectively, by the numerals 38 and 40, the lower end of actuator 38 being pivoted about the same axis as main actuator 34 in the embodiment illustrated, and the lower end of actuator 40 being pivoted avout the same I axis as main actuator 36. The auxiliary actuators are duplicated at the opposite end of the bed in the form of the load transfer mechanism illustrated, as may be seen in FIG. 1. The main and auxiliary actuators are illustrated herein as hydraulic cylinder and piston type expansible chamber devices, preferably of the type disclosed and claimed in copending application Ser. No. 211,523 filed Dec. 23, 1971, common assignee.

The upper ends of the main actuators 34 and 36 at both ends of the load transfer mechanism are pivotally connected at an intermediate location 39 to a transverse boom arm 42, and the upper ends of the auxiliary actuators 38 and 40 are pivotally connected about a common shaft 44 located near one end of the boom arm, this arrangement likewise applying to the other end of the mechanism. The other end of each boom arm, i.e., the free end thereof, in the embodiment shown, supports between the arms a spreader beam and lifting device, pivotable about a pivot axis 45. The lifting device includes a beam 46, which supports depending container engaging means indicated generally by numeral 48, having arms 50 and including the present load engaging and supporting means, to be more fully described hereinafter.

The two container engaging means 48 are adjusted to the width of the container, and also are moved longitudinally on the main longitudinal member 46 in order to adjust to the length of the container. FIG. 1 shows the load transfer mechanism as it is transferring cargo container 54 between a railroad car on one side of the load transfer mechanism and the ground on the other. The auxiliary actuators 40 and 38 are contracted, thereby lowering the right end of boom arms 42, one at each end of the mechanism, and raising the left end of such boom arms and lifting along therewith container 54 off the railroad car. Outriggers 58 and 59 are provided on the sides of the portable load transfer mechanism in order to stabilize it during the handling of a heavy load from one side to the other, one suitable type of outriggers being disclosed and claimed in copending application Ser. No. 221,967, filed Jan. 31, 1972, now Pat. No. 3,743,l08, common assignee.

As shown in FIG. 1, the load handling device includes carriages 48 which are adjustable longitudinally along the main beam 46, it being understood that the carriage 48 at the opposite end of the machine is an allochiral image of the structure to be described. Main beam structure 46 consists of two I-beams, and each carriage 48 is supported on rollers which operate on tracks on the upper surfaces of the I-beams. The carriages 48 are moved back and forth longitudinally along the beam 46 by means of a known mechanism, preferably including a hydraulic motor which operates suitable cables to provide forward and reverse movement of the carriages 48.

FIGS. 2 6 show the details of the load handling apparatus and FIG. 1 illustrates the manner of operation of the apparatus to pick up a container. Each device includes a pair of lift arms 50 which are secured respectively at the ends of tubular members 96 and which have shoes 52 at their lower ends. Each of the lift arms 50 is pivotable by remote control from the solid line position shown in FIG. 4, which represents the operating position. In the collapsed or transport position, the arms 50 are rotated up and secured to brackets 97 which are connected to and form a part of the carriages or support structures 48 by means of intermediate frame members 83. In lifting a container using the shoes, after the carriages 48 have been adjusted to the desired longitudinal positions to fit container 54, the arms 50 are then pivoted downwardly to vertical position, and moved inwardly to insert lift shoes 52 beneath the container. FIG. is a fragmentary view, partially in section, taken at the location indicated in FIG. 3, showig a portion of the carriage 48 and arms 50 in the depending position. Included is a brace portion indicated generally by the numeral 90. One of the rollers 92 which operates along the top of I-beam 46b is shown in FIG. 5.

The structural portion of the carriage 48 includes a fixed transverse tube 94. Within tube 94, which extends across the load lifting device, there is located at each end a telescopic tubular member 96 which is arranged to be moved inwardly and outwardly within tube 94 by means of a remotely controlled linear actuator 98. At the outer end of each tube 96 one of the lift arms 50 is securely afiixed to the tube, and in FIG. 5 a single arm 50 is shown in the depending position for lifting container 54. To provide for the specified pivotal movement of arm 50, the tube 96 on which it is mounted is pivoted by means of a linear hydraulic actuator 100 which may be seen in FIG. 6. It is pivotally connected at the top to brace to pivot about an axis 101, while at the bottom it is connected at 102 to a rotation muff 104, which in turn is operatively engaged with inner tube 96 by means of a key 105 which is secured to the muff 104. As shown in FIG. 6, the outer tube 94 has a cutout portion indicated at 106 which extends through an arc of more than 90, and through which the key 105 projects into a longitudinal slot 107 (see FIG. 6A) in the inner tube 96. With this arrangement, circumferential movement of the muff 104 by means of the actuator causes the key 105 to pivot the tube 96 about its axis, the key 105 moving through the slot or cutout portion 106 in the outer tube 94. Pivotal movement of more than 90 as provided is adequate to enable the necessary pivotal movement of the arm between the maximum up and the maximum down position by arcuate movement of the pivot point 102 which, in turn, is produced by the extension and retraction of actuator 100.

Referring to FIG. 6A, the slot 107 extends longitudinally of the tube 96 to provide for out and in movement of the tube 96 by means of actuator 98 as previously described, independently of and without interference with the pivoting mechanism described in the preceding paragraph. During such out and in movement of the tube 9.6, the slot 107 moves out and in relative to the key 105.

The load handling apparatus disclosed herein is adapted for moving cargo containers which have fixtures in the upper corners of the sides, including openings extending inwardly for receiving a load engaging member of the lift mechanism. The corner fixtures on the cargo container with the openings therein utilize fittings constituting the primary novel concept of the present disclosure and shown in detail in FIGS. 8-10. A fitting 130 is mounted on each arm 50 spaced downwardly from the top of the arm and rigidly secured to the arm. The fitting consists essentially of a load-pick-up pin 132 and an upper guide pin 134 for contacting the upper surface of the container, and a guide pin 136 for contacting the end of the container. The two guide pins thus assist in locating the load pickup pin 132 in hole 138 of fixture 140 located at each upper corner of the two sides of the container. Pin 132 is reciprocably mounted in a sleeve 142, and pins 134 and 136 are reciprocably mounted in sleeves 144 and 146, respectively. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the three sleeves are supported at their ends by two L-shaped brackets 148 and 150 which are in turn rigidly secured to the respective arm 50 by welding, bolting or other suitable securing means. The pickup pin is preferably provided with an upwardly extending end 152 formed by a slot 154 spaced inwardly from the rounded end 156 of pin 132. The upwardly extending end 152 forms an abutment which prevents the container fixture from sliding from the pin after the pin has been inserted in hole 138 of the fixture and is in a position to lift the container.

The inner ends 160 and 162 of pins 134 and 136, respectively, are preferably rounded, as is the end 156 of pin 132, in order to assist in locating the pins and hence arms 50, and hence in locating pin 132 in hole 138 as the arms 50 are moved inwardly. The pins 132 and 134 are rigidly connected to one another by an L-shaped member 166, the pins preferably being connected to the member by welding so that the two pins move inwardly and outwardly simultaneously. Pin 136 is rotatably mounted in a hole 168 but is provided with'a shoulder or collar which, while permitting pin 136 to be rotated in sleeve 146, causes the pin to move inwardly and outwardly with member 166. Sleeve 146 is preferably provided with a latching means, indicated by numeral 170, having a longitudinal slot 172 and two downwardly extending slots 174 and 176. A stem 178 is seated in the side of pin 136 and is movable in slot 172 from one endto the other.

When pin 132 is to be used to engage a fixture in the cargo container, L-shaped member 166 is pushed forwardly, i.e., to the right as viewed in FIG. 8, after pin 136 has been rotated sufficiently to align stem 178 with slot 172. After the pins have been advanced to the right, pin 136 is rotated by handle 177 to place stem 178 in downwardly extending slot 174, thus locking the pins in their extended operative position. In order to withdraw the pins to their inoperative position, pin 136 is rotated to remove stem 178 from downwardly extending slot 174 and align it with slot 172, thereby permitting the three pins attached to member 166 to be retracted to the left as viewed in FIG. 8, where they are locked in place by the rotation of pin 136 downwardly to insert stem 178 in downwardly extending slot 176.

In the embodiment of the lift mechanism illustrated in the drawings, when fittings 130 are to be used, it is necessary that the lift shoes at the bottom of arms 50 be out of the way so that they will not interfere with the operation of the fittings or in any way damage the sides of the container. The pivoting of the shoes is accomplished in the manner illustrated in FIG. 7 in which the shoe 52 is pivoted about an axis 161 after removing from hole 163 a pin 165 which normally holds shoe 52 in its operative position to allow the shoe to pivot to the position shown, after which the pin l65is inserted in hole 167 to hold the shoe in its retracted position.

In the operation and use of fitting 130, the arms 50 are all placed in vertical position as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the three pins 132, 134 and 136 are advanced to their operating position and locked in this position by stem 178 being seated in downward extension 174 of latch means 170. With the pins advanced into operating position, the arms are moved to a position directly out from the fitting as nearly as practical, with pin 132 in alignment with respective hole 138 of the fixture. The arms are then advanced inwardly toward the container and pins 134 and 136 engage the 6 corners of the top and end of the container, thus guiding pin 132 inwardly as the arms are continued toward the container. After pin 132 has been inserted in hole 138 in each of the four comers, the lift mechanism utilizing actuators 34 and 36 engages pin 132 firmly in hole 138. Continued movement of the two actuators at each end of the mechanism 20 lifts the container and moves it to a loaded or unloaded position on one side or the other of the semitrailer 10..

While only one embodiment of the present load engaging and supporting mechanism has been described in detail herein, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a load handling apparatus adapted for lifting and moving cargo containers with fixtures in the upper side corners, and including a pair of laterally adjustable arms extending downwardly along opposite sides of the container: a fitting secured to each of said arms having an axially movable load lifting pin for engaging the container fixture, an axially movable positioning pin disposed generally above said first pin for engaging the top of the container, an axially movable positioning pin disposed generally to the side of said first pin for engaging the adjacent end of the container, and means connecting said pins for simultaneous axial movement between a withdrawn inoperable position and an extended load lifting position.

2. A fitting as defined in claim 1 in which a means is included for latching said pins in inoperable and load lifting positions.

3. A fitting as defined in claim 1 in which the forward end of said first pin has an upwardly extending part which assists in retaining said pin in engagement with the container fixture when the load is being lifted.

4. A fitting as defined in claim 1 :in which one of said positioning pins is rotatable and a latch means is used in conjunction with said rotatable pin for latching and unlatching said pin for movement of the three pins between inoperable and load lifting positions.

5. A fitting as defined in claim 4 in which a handle is attached to said rotatable pin for operating said latch.

6. A fitting as defined in claim 1 in which sleeves are provided for each of said pins and frame members are rigidly connected to said sleeves to form a rigid frame structure to support said pins on the arms and to permit axial movement of the pins.

7. A fitting for lifting cargo containers having a fixture at the upper side corners with an opening therein, comprising an axially movable load lifting pin for extending into the opening of the container fixture, an axially movable positioning pin disposed generally above said first pin for engaging the top of the container, and an axially movable positioning pin disposed generally to the side of said first pin for engaging the adjacent end of the container.

8. A fitting for lifting cargo containers as defined in claim 7 in which a means connects said pins for simultaneous axial movement between inoperable and load lifting positions.

9. A fitting as defined in claim 7 in which a means is included for latching said pins in inoperable and load lifting positions.

10. A fitting as defined in claim 7 in which the forward end of said first pin has an upwardly extending is attached to said rotatable pin for operating said latch.

13. A fitting as defined in claim 7 in which sleeves are provided for each of said pins and frame members are rigidly connected to said sleeves to form a rigid frame structure to support said pins and to permit axial move- 

1. In a load handling apparatus adapted for lifting and moving cargo containers with fixtures in the upper side corners, and including a pair of laterally adjustable arms extending downwardly along opposite sides of the container: a fitting secured to each of said arms having an axially movable load lifting pin for engaging the container fixture, an axially movable positioning pin disposed generally above said first pin for engaging the top of the container, an axially movable positioning pin disposed generally to the side of said first pin for engaging the adjacent end of the container, and means connecting said pins for simultaneous axial movement between a withdrawn inoperable position and an extended load lifting position.
 2. A fitting as defined in claim 1 in which a means is included for latching said pins in inoperable and load lifting positions.
 3. A fitting as defined in claim 1 in which the forward end of said first pin has an upwardly extending part which assists in retaining said pin in engagement with the container fixture when the load is being lifted.
 4. A fitting as defined in claim 1 in which one of said positioning pins is rotatable and a latch means is used in conjunction with said rotatable pin for latching and unlatching said pin for movement of the three pins between inoperable and load lifting positions.
 5. A fitting as defined in claim 4 in which a handle is attached to said rotatable pin for operating said latch.
 6. A fitting as defined in claim 1 in which sleeves are provided for each of said pins and frame members are rigidly connected to said sleeves to form a rigid frame structure to support said pins on the arms and to permit axial movement of the pins.
 7. A fitting for lifting cargo containers having a fixture at the upper side corners with an opening therein, comprising an axially movable load lifting pin for extending into the opening of the container fixture, an axially movable positioning pin disposed generally above said first pin for engaging the top of the container, and an axially movable positioning pin disposed generally to the side of said first pin for engaging the adjacent end of the container.
 8. A fitting for lifting cargo containers as defined in claim 7 in which a means connects said pins for simultaneous axial movement between inoperable and load lifting positions.
 9. A fitting as defined in claim 7 in which a means is included for latching said pins in inoperable and load lifting positions.
 10. A fitting as defined in claim 7 in which the forward end of said first pin has an upwardly extending part which assists in retaining said pin in the opening of the container fixture when the load is being lifted.
 11. A fitting as defined in claim 7 in which one of said positioning pins is rotatable and a latch means is used in conjunction with said rotatable pin for latching and unlatching said pin for movement of the three pins between inoperable and load lifting positions.
 12. A fitting as defined in claim 11 in which a handle is attached to said rotatable pin for operating said latch.
 13. A fitting as defined in claim 7 in which sleeves are provided for each of said pins and frame members are rigidly connected to said sleeves to form a rigid frame structure to support said pins and to permit axial movement thereof. 